Display multi-layers list item in web-browser with supporting of concurrent multi-users

ABSTRACT

Computer user working environment has been evolved from punch card &amp; paper tape to mouse click native window based in past few decades. This invention takes the course of this continuing evolution and creating a web based computer user work environment for a control management station and its associated systems on the network crossing Intranet, Internet or LAN. Therefore, users can access and manage the control management station and all its associated system through web browser on any other systems or devices. 
     To establish a web based computer user work environment, the resources information on control management station and on associated systems on network need to be collected and convert them to standard structured format for web based communication and further displaying them in web browser. These information need to be collected by control management station at its and the associated systems&#39; boot up time or at the time when user login and request to access and manage these resources. 
     To best present all resources to users and provide users a flexible environment to access and manage these resources in web environment, a traditional multi-layered item list can be creatively deployed in this web based computer user work environment.

This invention is the continuation of the previous two inventions, application Ser. No. 10/713,904, of “Concurrent Web Based Multi-Task Support for Control Management System” and Ser. No. 10/713, 905 of “IP Based Distributed Virtual SAN”.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention focuses on multiple users concurrent interacting in web-based computer user work environment for multiple computers to display, view, access & operate various system resources by using multi-layers items list on web-browser through mouse click for the central controlled distributed scalable virtual machine. In addition, this invention focus on the methods and steps the establishment of the web-based computer user work environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The evolution of computer user work environment has changed from paper tape or punch cards of early years to command line user work environment on a native system in 70th, and to window & mouse click environment on a native system in the middle 80th. There are some network based user work environment exists since in 89^(th) and 90^(th) such as Microsoft's terminal service, the Telnet of Unix & Linux system etc. These types of software let users to access and operate the target system from another system remotely. There are some network management software, which mostly focus on monitoring the targeted systems' network activities. In addition, all of the software mentioned has limited mobility and capability because all of them need to install the specialized software on remote system. Therefore, these types of software are not easy to be ported and further limit the user's ability to remotely work from various kind systems or devices.

There are some web-based application software exists, which allow users to access web applications on a web server from a web browser on a remote system or device. However, these types of software do not design for manage resource on web server and do not design for creating a web based computer environment. There are web-based software to allow people to manage system remotely. However, they do not create a web-based computer user work environment but to dump the existing computer user work environment of a system to a web browser on a remote system. Also, this type of software has limited network capability.

A new web-based computer user work environment (WCUWE) has been invented and described in previous two invention of “Concurrent Web Based Multi-Task Support for Control Management System”, 2002 and in “IP Based Distributed Virtual SAN”, 2002 by same inventor. However, the notion of WCUWE has not been fully developed and not been fully described in previous two inventions. Therefore, this invention will continue to describe the more details of how can the WCUWE of the central controlled distributed scalable virtual machine (CCDSVM) be formed and how to achieve and realize a flexible working environment for users of CCDSVM. The WCUWE can provide users to access and operate the provisioned systems of CCDSVM from any web browser on any remote system or electronic devices. Due to the capability of expanding CCDSVM crossing Intranet and Internet and its strong security control, the WCUWE can meet the ever increased demanding for a more secure, more mobilized, more flexible and more cost saving computational solution.

For the convenience of describing this invention, the following items of terminology have been clarified.

Terminology: CCDSVM:

It is an abbreviation for central controlled distributed scalable virtual machine. The CCDSVM allows a control management station to control a group of systems and provide distributed services to client system in Intranet and Internet as well as in LAN environment. The software components of CCDSVM form the virtual operating environment or system.

Computer User Work Environment (CUWE):

Every computer system provides end users a work environment (CUWE), which usually runs on top of a generic computer operating system. The CUWE allows user to setup authentication profile for each different users, to configure system resources from storage, network, file system, file folders structure etc, files and all other available on system, to monitor system activities, to access applications, and to manage data files such as moving data from one folder to another folder or moving data from one system to another system etc. Specially, the CUWE provides multi-users with multi-task mechanism. Therefore, multiple users and each of them can perform multiple tasks described above concurrently after their successful login.

Web-Based Computer User Work Environment (WCUWE):

The web-based computer user work environment (WCUWE) runs on top of generic operating system for a single or multiple computers. It allows users work on one or multiple computer systems through a conventional web-browser either remotely from other system & devices such as laptop, PDA, desktop etc. or locally from the native system. It provides great mobility and flexibility to user. The WCUWE can run on top of actual generic operating system. With this web-based computer user work environment the entire CCDSVM system can be operate like a single virtual machine.

The Resources (of the Computer System or Electronic Devices):

The resources on a computer or any other electronic device refers to CPU, memory, storage device, network device, monitor or other display devices, keyboard, mouse, photo or video record devices, wireless device, user authentication profiles, and various form of deposited data on storage. Of course, these mentioned just are typical resources but they are not limited to these in this invention. The deposited data on storage could be file system structure, the folders, data files, formed raw data etc. and does not limited to these in this invention. The data file can be in all kind of form such as plain text form, binary data form, PDF form, MPEG or JPEG form, or other various image data form, MS power point data form or Word documentation form etc. The mentioned data depository is just for illustrating and actually does not limited to these in this invention. The storage could be in any media form such as hard disk drive, magnetic tape drive, various form of memory devices, or others suitable media. The storage mentioned here is just for illustration, which shall not limit the scope of storage mentioned in this invention. In addition, in the rest of discussion whenever involving resource of the computer system or devices, there is no need to further provide detailed description mentioned here.

The Standard Structured Information (for Web Communication):

The web browser can interpret the standard structured format (formatted information) and display them in web pages so that people can view, manipulate, and interact with these information. The standard formatted information are imposed and encoded by following the syntax of the programming language such as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), XHTML, DHTML, XML, or any other various suitable languages, whichever can best to describe the structured information. The languages mentioned here are just for illustrating only, which does not limit the scope of this invention. In the real life, these languages (HTML, XML, . . . ) themselves are often unfortunately refer as standard format for web instead of as a language. Therefor, in this invention, there is no and not necessary to have a clear boundary between these two different entities. In other words, they are often be used interchangeably in this invention without further mention the differences.

Multi-Layered Item List (MLIL):

It is a logically organized information list with certain order, which each entry contains an item and each items may contain another layer of list of items, where each items may represent a physical resources or information of the computer systems or other devices. For example, the information of files and folders of a file system on a modern computer system is typically organized as multi-layers item list and can be entirely viewed, displayed & operated on modern UI window of native system with supporting from modern computer operating system. Each item (node) on list may represent a folder or file. The information of systems or devices on the network, the information of hardware components on a systems such as disks, network cards, memory etc, the information of multiple users of a system are also can be organized into multiple layers of item list for view, display and operation. The supporting of the MLIL in the WCUWE made the system resources and information much easy to be displayed, viewed, and operated from a browser. The MLIL may contain at least one item (node) and as many as multiple hundreds item (node).

The System:

The system, which mentioned in this invention, can be a desktop, laptop, various types of server, PDA, or cell phone or other devices with communication ability anywhere on net. These systems mentioned here just for illustrating and do not limit the scope of the system mentioned in this invention. Also, in the rest of discussion, it will not further to differentiate the term of system. The system in this invention shall be regarded as independent of the hardware system.

The Os (Operating System):

The OS mentioned in this invention can be any suitable operating system such as Windows, Linux, various Unix, real-time operating system and others. The OS mentioned here are just for illustration purpose, and therefore, they do not intend to limit the scope of this invention regarding with OS. This invention shall be regarded as independent of OS platform.

Programming Languages:

The programming languages, which used for implementing all software mentioned in this invention, could be any suitable languages or a combination of the suitable languages. These languages are C, C++, Java, JavaScript, Visual Basic, C sharp, HTML, XML, DHTML, XHTML, and others. The languages mentioned here are just for illustration purpose, therefore, this shall not limit to the scope of this invention with regarding to the actual languages can use in this invention.

Communication Protocols:

The communication protocols used in CCDSVM could be various kind for whatever is appropriate for transmitting required data over communication link. The communication protocol over a communication link could be IP-based protocols or non-IP-based. The IP based protocols are built on top of IP protocol and could be standard based such as TCP protocol, UDP protocol, ICMP protocol, and others, and also can be non-standard proprietary protocols. The non-IP based protocols can be ISO 8473, ISO 8208, or serial communication, or data link layer protocols like LLC 802.2, or HDLC, or any proprietary protocols bellow the IP protocol level. The protocols mentioned above just for illustration purpose and this shall not limit the scope of this invention with regarding the protocols can be used. This invention simply is protocol independent.

The Communication Protocols for Web:

The communication protocols for web computing could be HTTP, SOAP, WAP, or others. These mentioned protocol for web computing are just for illustration purpose and shall not limit the scope of using other protocols in this invention

The Web Browser:

The web browser mentioned in this invention may be an existing commercial software from any vendor such as Microsoft IE or Netscape, or Firefox, or Mozillar, or any other commercial or proprietary software. The web browser must be able to handle web protocols such as HTTP, SAOP, WAP or others and be able to interpret the standard structured formatted information and further to let user to view the contents transmitted over HTTP. The protocols described here are just for illustrating purpose only, which does not limit the other protocols to be used for web communication.

The Web Server Software:

The web server software mentioned in this invention could be a commercial software from any vendors such as Apache, IIS, or others on the market, and it also can be a proprietary software. The web server software must be able to handle web protocols such as HTTP, which is a protocol built on top of TCP protocol. Therefore, the structured information for web can be transmitted to web browser over communication link if these two software are located on different system or through inter-process communication if both software are located on the same system.

User Session With CCDSVM:

A user session is started at a time user login to CCDSVM from a web-browser and ended at a time user logout CCDSVM from the same web browser, which user had login previously. During a session, users can perform tasks, which has been permitted by the security profile.

FIGURES

FIG. 1: An example of typical CCDSVM with multiple systems and clients.

FIG. 2: Variation of CCDSVM:

-   -   a) This is a figure of an example of CCDSVM with a single         control management station.     -   b) This is a figure of an example of CCDSVM with identical         client host and system unit.     -   c) This figure is an example of CCDSVM with client hosts for         non-web based accessing.

FIG. 3: An example of software of WCUWE for CCDSVM.

FIG. 4: An simplified example of Multi-Layered Item List (MLIL).

FIG. 5: Examples of operation menu for WCUWE of CCDSVM.

FIG. 6: Example of operation menu for different type of node on MLIL.

FIG. 7: An example of server units grouped by group ID.

FIG. 8: Examples of MLIL combined with mixed devices, system units and groups.

In the drawing, like elements are designated by like reference numbers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The previous invention, application Ser. No. 10/713,904 of “Concurrent Web Based Multi-Task Support for Control Management System”, described the creation and the benefits of the web-based computer user work environment (WCUWE) and the multi-task support in WCUWE. The previous invention “IP Based Distributed Virtual SAN” described how can the system units of CCDSVM be automatically and dynamically provisioned or grouped to form one or multiple various service pools in cross-domain environment. With the WCUWE, the entire CCDSVM can be accessed and managed from web-browser anywhere on the net. In addition, it permits multiple users, each from their own web-browsers on a system or device anywhere on the net to concurrently access and manage the CCDSVM with multi-tasking capability.

Since the emergence of the native window & mouse click based computer user work environment (CUWE) in middle of 80's, users are able to display, view and operate information and resources of the computer systems or devices by mouse-click through corresponding multi-layered item list such as files & folders list on MS Window system, on Linux/Unix System, and on Apple Mackintosh etc. In other words, supporting multi-layered item list has become a critical part of mouse-click & window based computer user work environment. However, with new WCUWE for the CCDSVM, how to let multiple concurrent users to effectively simultaneously display, view & operate item list in a single web-browser for corresponding resource such as for deeply nested files & folders, or for multi-group provisioned systems or devices etc. has became an increased unprecedented challenge. The previous two inventions mentioned before and together with this invention have successfully solved this challenge.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become understood with reference to the following description, appended claims and accompanying figures where:

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

-   FIG. 1: shows an example simplified block diagram of an embodiment     of typical CCDSVM, which includes     -   a) Console hosts (1):         -   Console host can be any system on the net and can have any             suitable OS running on. It must have a web browser 9             installed, which to be used for accessing and operating the             entire CCDSVM. The web-browser can be implemented with any             suitable or a combination of suitable programming languages.             Web-Console is another name for web-browser 9 on a console             host. From web browser 9 by following a web URL link of             another system or on the same system, the users can obtain a             WCUWE and further to access, manage and operate the entire             system. The term of the web-console used instead of using             the term of web browser due to its ability to access system             information and perform system operation in CCDSVM             environment by privileged users. The console host may also             include other software modules 13, which may be implemented             with any suitable programming languages. These software             modules may communicate with control management station 2             using IP based, non-IP based protocols or any suitable             protocols to receive or send data between console host and             control management station 2. To support a non-web-based             networked console, the software used for console must handle             protocol other than web protocol such as HTTP, SOAP, WAP or             any others and this software must communicate with console             supporting software 6 on control management station 2. The             console host 1 is same as client system 10 except it is             dedicated to the user who takes the system administration             role for CCDSVM.     -   b) Control management station (2):         -   The control management station 2 could be any system on the             net and can have any suitable OS running on it. The control             management station 2 includes web server software 7 and             console supporting software 6. The console supporting             software 6 includes web server interface software modules 5             and control management software modules 4. The control             management station 2 may also have native Web browser used             as a web-console 9 of native system. The web server software             7 sends data to and receives data from web-console 9 of             console hosts 1 or from web-browser of client 10 based on             HTTP or any other suitable protocols for web contents             delivery. The web server software 7 can be implemented with             any suitable or a combination of any suitable programming.         -   The console supporting software 6 can be implemented with             any suitable or a combination of suitable programming             languages. In addition, the communication protocol used             between console support software 6 and service software             modules 8 of system units 3 could be any suitable protocol.             The web server interface 5 of console support software 6 may             be extended to provide service as web server 7 does. In this             case there is no specialized web server 7 software needed.     -   c) System unit (3),         -   System unit 3 could be any systems and can have any suitable             OS running on it. The system units 3 contain service             software modules 8, which is capable to communicate with             outside of world. For example, the service software modules             8 of system unit 3 can communicate with control management             software 4 of control management station 2 to carry out the             tasks for viewing or operating on its resource. It also can             communicate with client 10 of CCDSVM to deliver the services             to them, or to communicate with another system unit 3 to             transfer data etc.         -   The service software modules 8 may include an individual             software module dedicated to handle HTTP protocol or other             web protocols if there is needs for web-based communication             with client 10 or other system unit 3 or control management             station 2. This individual software module could be a             commercial web server software on the market or a             proprietary software. The service software modules 8 could             be implemented with any suitable programming languages, and             the communication protocol could be any suitable protocols.     -   d) The net1 11 is a network infrastructure of Internet or         Intranet, or LAN, which provides any communication links between         control management station 2 and console-host 1 or client hosts         10. It also provides communication link between system unit 3         and client host 10. The net1 may consist connection media such         as cable (Ethernet, optical Fibre, and other), wireless media         for wireless link through air, data bus on the circuit board,         and it also consists of communication equipment such as         switch/routers/adapter, etc. and all other possible elements of         communication equipment.     -   e) The net2 (12) is a network infrastructure of Internet or         Intranet, or LAN, which provides any communication links between         control management station 2 and the system units 3 or consoles         host 1. It also provide the communication link between system         unit 3 and client host 10. The net2 consists similar network         equipment and elements as net1 11 has.     -   f) Client host 10:         -   The client hosts are not part of CCDSVM, but with the             permission and authorization, they can get services from and             access to CCDSVM using web-browser 9. The web-browser 9             could be either a conventional commercial browser on the             market or a proprietary software, which provides compatible             functionality to handle and interpreter data on the web.     -   g) The paths of data flows in CCDSVM:         -   There are 4 basic data flow paths within this typical CCDSVM             configuration and they are listed bellow:         -   (1) Data path 1 is the data flow through communication link             between web browser 9 on client host 10 or console host 1 or             control management station 2 and the web handling software             on control management station 2 such as web-server 7 &             console support software 6. With this path of data flow,             whenever the user send request from web-browser 9 to             web-server 7 and further down to console support software 6,             the console support software 6 collects all required             information from target system and convert them into             standard structured information for web communication. The             targeted system could be system unit 3 or control management             station 2 itself. The information collected by console             support software 6 of control management station 2 could be             the system status, or the storage information, or the             network information, or the user authentication profile, or             the file system information or files & folders information             on a target system etc. The collected information does not             limit to these mentioned above in this invention. The             console support software 6 then passes this converted             structured information to web server software 7 and further             transmits to web-browser 9 through communication link net1             11 or net2 12 so that it can be displayed and viewed by a             conventional web browser 9.

-   -   -   -   The communication protocol used between web-browser 9 of                 client host 10 or console host 1 and web server 7 of                 control management station 2 could be HTTP or any other                 suitable protocols for web communication, which could                 successfully transmit the data on web.

        -   (2) The data path 2 is the data flow through communication             link between control management station 2 and system units             3.             -   With this path of data flow, the requests targeted to                 system units 3 are pass from console support software 6                 of control management station 2 to service modules 8 of                 system unit 3 through communication link net2 12. If the                 responses for those requests must return back to control                 management station 2, the service modules 8 of system                 unit 3 carry out the requests and then send the response                 back to console support software 6 of control management                 station 2. The communication protocol used between                 console support software 6 of control management station                 and service modules 8 of system unit can be any suitable                 protocols, whichever is suitable to transmit data                 between them. The typical data flow through this path                 could be the boot message or system status or network                 information or storage information of system unit 3. The                 actual data flow though this path does not limited to                 those mentioned here.

-   -   -   (3) The data path 3 is the data flow through communication             link between system units 3 and the client host 10 or             console host 1.             -   With FIG. 1, in some cases, the console support software                 6 of control management station 2 may present a web                 link, which pointed to a object on system unit 3, to the                 user work on web-browser 9 of client host 10 or console                 host 1 or control management station 2. The object                 pointed by web link on the system unit 3 could be a file                 of text, mpeg video, PDF, MS power point or Word                 documentation etc., and not limited to these types, and                 it also could be a link of another web service program.                 From web browser 9, the user can directly access the                 information on a system unit 3 pointed by the web link                 without go through the control management station again.                 In this case, the service modules 8 of system unit 3                 must also include a web server software to directly                 support web browser 9 access as mentioned before.

-   -   -   (4) The data path 4 is data flow through communication link             between system unit 3 and another system unit 3.             -   With this path, the service modules 8 of one system unit                 3 can directly transmit data or information to service                 modules 8 of another system unit 3 via communication                 link net2 12 without go through control management                 station 2. The communication protocol between system                 units 3 could be IP-base or any suitable non-IP-based                 protocol. The data and information transmitted through                 the path 4 can be various type such a data file. For                 example, an user on web-browser 9 may walk through a                 file folder on a system unit 3. Later, the user                 instructs to transfer a file from current target system                 unit 3 to another targeted system unit 3 by mouse click,                 therefore, the data file will be transferred directly                 between two system units 3 without go through the                 control management station 2 again.

-   FIG. 2: The Variation of CCDSVM Configuration Models:     -   a) This is a figure of an example of CCDSVM with a single         control management station.         -   With this model, there is not system unit 3, therefore, the             CCDSVM degenerated into a single system and the WCUWE just             works for a single system, which is the control management             station 2. So that the user from web-browser 9 of console             host 1 or client host 10 or control management station 2 can             access and operate the entire resource on control management             station 2.     -   b) This is a figure of an example of CCDSVM with identical         client host and system unit.         -   This model is exact the same model with typical CCSDVM             showed in FIG. 1, except there is no difference between             client host 10 and system unit 3 since each system unit 3             also configured with web-browser 9 and each client host 10             also configured with service modules 8. This means each             system unit/client shall play both roles of system unit 3             and client host 10 of FIG. 1. With this model, users on each             system unit/client, can login control management 2 from             web-browser 9 and further access & operate the resources of             control management station 2, or any other system             unit/client 3 with a security permission.     -   c) This figure is an example of CCDSVM with non-web accessed         client host. This model is exact the same model with typical         CCDSVM showed in FIG. 1, except that the client host 10 has its         own service modules 14 for non-web based access instead of using         web-browser 9 for accessing. For example, if system unit 3 is a         SAN unit providing storage volume and the service modules 14 of         client host 10 is a driver routine for read and write data to         the disk volume on system unit 3. The client host 10 may also         have a web-browser 9 to accessing system unit 3 for other         purposes except for accessing disk volumes. -   FIG. 3: An example of software of WCUWE for a typical CCDSVM.     -   The software of WCUWE can be implemented with any suitable or a         combination of any suitable programming languages such C, C++,         Java, JavaScript, Visual Basic, HTML, XML, etc., which means         that software of WCUWE is programming language independent.     -   The software of WCUWE may includes following:         -   1) Web server interface modules 5 of console support             software 6 on control management station 2.         -   2) Control management modules 4 of console support software             6 on control management station 2.         -   3) Web server software 7 on control management station. The             web server software 7 could be a commercial web server             software on the marketing such as Apache or MS HS or others,             and also could be a proprietary software. If web server             interface modules 5 provides compatible functionality with             Web server software 7, then web server software 7 is not             needed.         -   4) Service software modules 8 on system unit 3. Service             software modules 8 may also consist of a web server software             7 or a software module, which provide equivalent             functionality as web server software 7 does.         -   5) Web browser 9 on console host 1 or on control management             station 2 or on client host 10. The web browser 9 could be a             commercial web browser on the market such as MS IE, or             Netscape, and also could be proprietary software modules. -   FIG. 4: Simplified examples of Multi-Layered Item list (MLIL).     -   a) This is a multi-layered item list contains multiple nodes and         multiple layers. A node on MLIL can be expanded to display         sub-node if there is any by mouse click. The sub-nodes may be         reduced by mouse click the same node again.     -   b) This is a degenerated Multi-layered items list contains         single node and single layer. -   FIG. 5: Simplified examples of operation menu for WCUWE of CCDSVM.     -   a) A web based drop-down menu for disk volume management. The         drop-down menu can be invoked by right click an item (node) on         MLIL.     -   b) A web based selective menu for system unit management. The         item selected and further click the submit button. -   FIG. 6: Simplified examples of operation menu for different type of     node on MLIL.     -   a) Shows an operation menu for managing the storage (disk).     -   b) Shows an operation menu for managing the file.     -   c) Shows an operation menu to manage the system unit on network. -   FIG. 7: An example of system units grouped by group ID.     -   This figure shows one example of the five system units are         divided into two groups, which are marketing group and engineer         group. The marketing group contains 2 system units while the         engineer group contains 3 system units. The groups are         automatically and dynamically form when system units boot up. -   FIG. 8: An example of MLIL combined with mixed devices, system units     and groups.     -   a) This example shows the top level of MLIL is system group, the         second level is system unit, the third level is device of disks.     -   b) This example shows the top level of MLIL is system group, the         second level is system unit, the third level start with the file         folder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The default figure used for this discussion is FIG. 1, therefor, all reference number for designated elements are elements of FIG. 1 unless otherwise specified by other figure number. The FIG. 1 explains the web-based computer user work environment (WCUWE) of CCDSVM provided by the software of WCUWE FIG. 3, which includes console support software 6 & web server software 7 on control management station 2 and service modules 8 on system unit 3.

1: The Initiation of WCUWE:

The WCUWE have been described in multiple places of previous invention of “concurrent Web Based Multi-Task Support for Control Management System” and “IP Based Distributed Virtual SAN”. With this invention, the sequence of establishing the WCUWE of CCDSVM will be much clear, with which the software of WCUWE FIG. 3, especially the console support software 6 of control management station 2 need to perform the following:

-   -   a) The console support software 6 collect all major resources         information of the control management station 2 together and         converted these information to standard structured information,         which is viewable by web-browser 9. The resources information         mentioned above include the resources of the storage, network,         file system, files, folders, users, system status etc, which can         be collected whenever the control management station 2 boot up         or at other appropriate time. Such information may be stored in         memory for fast retrieve at later time and also may be stored on         permanent storage such as disks.     -   b) The console support software 6 communicate with service         modules 8 of system unit 3 to collect all major resources         information of system unit 3 together through communication link         net2. Further, the console support software 6 binds the         collected information of system units 3 to the network         information of the control management station 2. In addition,         upon users' accessing, all the said network information are         organized and converted to standard structured format for web         communication, therefore, they are viewable by web-browser 9.         The said network information include the information of the         system units 3 and their storage device, network devices,         wireless devices, video and audio record & playback devices,         file-system, users, system status and all others on net. The         said network information can be collected whenever the system         units 3 boot up or at other appropriate time.         -   Further, the network information of control management             station 2 can be kept in memory for later fast access and             can be organized into any suitable logical structure, for             example as a simple list of array, linked list, double             linked list, hash table, tree structure etc. The network             information also can be stored on permanent storage such as             disk or others for the backup purpose. In addition, the             network information can be stored with any form on permanent             storage, which can be a form of various commercial             databases, binary record file, flat text ASCII file or             others. All specific example of forms of data depository or             logical structures mentioned above are for illustration             only, and they shall not limit to these mentioned before in             this invention.             After the initiation of the WCUWE, the users of WCUWE each             login from a single web-browser 9 can concurrently display,             view, access, & operate various resources & information of             CCDSVM,             2: Users Interaction, Access and Manage Resources with             WCUWE:

As described in previous invention of “Concurrent Web Based Multi-Task Support for Control Management System”, the users of client host 10, or console host 1, or control management station 2 can login to WCUWE of CCSDVM via a web URL link provided by the software of WCUWE (FIG. 3). The software of WCUWE (FIG. 3) presents information & resources on control management station 2 and on server units 3 to the users after their login from web browser 9. Therefore, whenever an user request to access or operate a major resource either on control management system 2 or system unit 3 of CCDSVM, the software of WCUWE (FIG. 3) create a corresponding user task for such request on the targeted system. As de fact, the software of WCUWE (FIG. 3) support multiple simultaneous tasks for same user from a single web-browser 9 and support multiple concurrent users each from their own web-browser 9 to perform such tasks while provide best protecting for resources being accessed by multi-users.

3: The Use of Multi-Layer Item List in WCUWE:

In order to provide convenience for each login users to perform tasks in WCUWE, the console support software 6 may use a logical structure of multi-layer item list (MLIL) FIG. 4 and the associated web-browser based operation menu (FIG. 5) for corresponding actual multi-level organized resources. The resources as mentioned before could be the file folders of a file system, the system units 3 on the network, the users and their security profile etc. If there is need to create a structured multi-layer item list (MLIL) of FIG. 4 for resources on a target systems at the time each login user try to access and operate, the console support software 6 of control management station 2 needs to do the following:

-   -   a) For each sessions of login users, a memory management module         of console support software 6 creates a MLIL FIG. 4, which can         be flexibly expanded or reduced by mouse clicking on the flying         in web-browser. Further, the console support software 6 makes         association between each created logical structure of MLIL and         the actual targeted resources. The created MLIL can be reside in         memory and can be in any form of a list structure such as a         simple array list, link list, double link list, various tree         structure, or hashed table, etc.     -   b) For each created MLIL FIG. 4 bind the corresponding graphic         or text representation to each node (item) on list for the         purpose of displaying, and associate each nodes (items) with         appropriate attributes. These attributes shall reflect the         nature of the actual resources such as name, type, level, size         etc. and of course it is not limited to these, therefore, the         resources can be correctly displayed through MLIL FIG. 4.     -   c) Link an operation menu to the MLIL. The operation menu can be         either a web-based drop-down menu 1 of FIG. 5 or a non-drop-down         selective menu 2 of FIG. 5.     -   d) Convert the created MLIL and all its associated information         into the standard structured information for web communication,         which to be viewable and accessible to the web-browser 9.         Therefore, the MLIL can be either viewed by a web-browser 9 on         control management station 2 or viewed by a web-browser 9 on         client host 10 or console host 1. The converted logical item         list needs to be transmitted via communication link net1 11 or         net2 12 from control management station 2 to client host 10 or         console host 1. The converted logical item list can be         transmitted using web protocol such as HTTP or any other         suitable protocols in order for users remotely view it from         web-browser 9.     -   e) After user taking action of either viewing, or operating         resources represented by MLIL, the console support software 6         modifies the MLIL through said memory management module of         console support software 6. Also, the said memory management         module of console support software 6 keeps tracks of memory         usage and status for correspondent MLIL as the results of         expanding or reducing MLIL when user try to access or operate         the resource represented by this MLIL. For example, delete a         file folder operation requires to delete actual folder on file         system and delete the corresponding node on MLIL. Most         importantly, all processes or threads created to perform tasks         of operating the resources represented by MLIL can effectively         share the dynamically modified MLIL with a consistent view         throughout the each users' entire login session. The said memory         management module of console support software 6 may need to         translate and map the initial logical memory address of MLIL to         another logical memory address, therefore, the different         processes or threads of the same user session can effectively         access the same actual MLIL memory object of an user session,     -   f) The steps described from b) to e) above can be repeatedly         processed as long as user keep working on same resource         represented by this specific MLIL.     -   g) For each logout users, the created MLIL for user session will         be deleted through said memory management module of console         support software 6. Further if user stop to access the current         related resource and request to access a total different         resource, the original MLIL will be deleted and a new MLIL will         be created.         2: The Support of Deeply Nested Files & Folders Lists on Systems         with WCUWE of CCDSVM:

The accessing and managing file system always has been an important part of any computer user work environment (CUWE) in the past. Supporting a file system to be accessed by users from network has always being a challenge to many vendors. With previous inventions described in “Concurrent web based multi-task support for control management system” and “Distributed Virtual SAN”, user can manage storage volumes of entire CCDSVM from web browser 9 and further can create, manage, and access the file system on either control management station 2 or system unit 3. With a sophisticate method of using multi-layer item list FIG. 4 together with operation menu FIG. 5 for file system in WCUWE of CCDSVM of this invention, users can efficiently access and manage files and folders in file systems from web-browser 9 on the flying without cache anything.

With this method, the multi-layer item lists (MLIL) being used to represent the actual file folder structure of a file system on a target system of CCDSVM with each item represents a folder or a file system or a file. When user walk through the file system and use mouse-click on MLIL to operate a file or folder from web-browser 9, only a small piece information, which related to the file or folder, needs to be retrieved or transmitted between target system of CCDSVM and control management station. For example, if user want to add or delete an item such as a folder, the only major information need to transmit is folder name from control management system 2 to target system and the target system shall carry out the task. If user want to access the information, which bellows the current item on MLIL such as a folder, after sending folder name only information need to retrieve from target system is the sub-folder or file names if there is any under the current folder. If users want to set access permission for a file or a folder on any of target system for one or multiple users to access, the target system information and file or folder information on the net need to be bound with each user's profile. The target systems could be either control management station 2 or system unit 3 of CCDSVM.

If users need to view or edit the content of a file on system unit 3, the file may be transmitted via communication link net 1 & net 2 directly from target system to client host 10 or console host 1, without going through control management station 2. If the file is on control management station 2 and users like to view or edit it from remote system, the file is transmitted via communication net 1 to client host 10 or console host 1. With a proper viewing tool on client host 10 or console host 1 or control management station, which may be invoked from the web-browser 9, the user is able to view the contents of the file. With a proper editor, user can further edit the file and then transmit the file back to the target system. The target system could be either system unit 3 or control management station 2. Alternatively, the file may also be transmitted from target system to control management station 2 and then convert it from original format to a format, which may be viewed and edited in the web-browser. After converting, if the target system is not the control management station 2, the file can be transmitted via communication link net 1 or net 2 from control management station 2 to client-host 10, console host 1 for viewing or editing with a web-browser 9. If the target system is the control management station 2 itself, there is no such transmission required.

3: The Support of the Automatically & Dynamically Provisioned Groups of Systems in WCUWE of CCDSVM:

Network information also is an important part of WCUWE. In previous inventions of “Concurrent Web Based Multi-Task Support for Control Management System” and “IP Based Distributed Virtual SAN”, the server unit 3 of CCDSVM can be automatically and dynamically provisioned into multiple groups based on their group ID, where each group contains at least one server unit 3.

To effectively access and manage such grouped systems units 3 and their associated devices such storage or network interface cards or terminal monitor or video & audio recorder such as camcorder, or keyboard & mouse, or wireless devices or file systems on network, the multi-layer item list (MLIL) also can be used. Therefore, the mixed information on network can be ordered with top-down fashion from server-group at top level, system units 3 at second level, and devices or file system start from third level and so on with MLIL. More specifically, a node on MLIL with different level or type may associate with a different type of operation menu. For example, a node of system unit 3 on MLIL may associate with an operation menu containing system status, shutdown, storage management, change usage etc. and a node of storage device may associate with operation menu of creating storage volume, displaying storage volume, and delete storage volume etc. so on. After converting all information associated with MLIL to standard structured information, the complex information on network can be viewed and operated by users from web-browser 9. For example, FIG. 7 shows the example of how does system unit 3 being provisioned into multiple groups. FIG. 8 shows the example of how does device such as storage being listed under server units 3 in each group. FIG. 9 shows the example of how does the file system on system unit 3 in a group can be accessed. The method of automatically and dynamically group system units 3 and wisely use the MLIL to represent the diversified resources on network, the entire CCDSVM can be much more efficiently accessed, operated, and managed. For example, through mouse click on web-browser 9, privileged users can create storage volumes from a fresh disk on any target system and make file system on it, mount file system and create folder structure on it, and further setup access control for user with limited privileges. Therefore, the WCUWE can securely let user access from a web-browser 9 anywhere on the network.

4: The Support of the User Administration & Authentication in WCUWE of CCDSVM:

Initially, WCUWE allows a default super user to login WCUWE of CCDSVM and to access the authentication web-page provided by console support software 6. Therefore, this privileged user can setup other privileged or non-privileged users account and their profile thereafter. Similar to file system in WCUWE of CCDSVM, the user profile also can be viewed and operated using a MLIL combined with a web-based operation menu FIG. 5, and further to convert it to standard structured information, which can be viewed and accessed by users from web-browser. Therefore, through mouse click on MLIL of user profile and web-based operation menu in a web page, the user and user profile creating, viewing, updating, deleting and others all can be conveniently performed. Specially, the privileged users can setup profiles for other non-privileged users for secure access control. In addition, the user information and their security profile can be kept in any form of a database, which could be a commercial database on the market, or a plaint text file, or a binary record file, or others.

Miscellaneous:

This invention will not claim for those methods and steps, which have been claimed and discussed in previous two inventions, which includes the followings:

-   1) “IP based Distributed Virtual SAN” claims from 11 to 15 and from     31 to 33 covers automatically identifying and discovering the system     units of CCDSVM and further constructing the service pools by     organizing the system units into one or multiple groups. -   2) “Concurrent Web Based Multi-Task Support for Control Management     System” claims from 1 to 15 covers multi-session and multi-task     support for web based computer user work environment. -   3) “Concurrent Web Based Multi-Task Support for Control Management     System” claims 19 and 31 covers web based user work environment     (WCUWE). -   4) “Concurrent Web Based Multi-Task Support for Control Management     System” claim 30 covers the basic types of tasks can be performed in     WCUWE of CCDSVM. -   5) “Concurrent Web Based Multi-Task Support for Control Management     System” claims 2, 3, 4, 14, 28, 29 covers the basic user security     and authentication check.

Miscellaneous 2:

-   -   a) The description of mouse click in this invention implies to         all possible hardware equipment and mechanism, which let user         conveniently interact with node of MLIL. It does not limit to a         specific type of physical mouse in this invention.     -   b) The present invention has been described in considerable         details with preference to certain preferred versions, examples,         and figures; however, other versions, and samples are also         possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims         should not be limited to the description of the preferred         versions and samples contained herein. 

1-22. (canceled)
 23. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a security control and being connected to a network interface, the computer program product comprisings: program instructions for a native operating system (“NOS”), and program instructions for a web based computer user work environment (“WCUWE”) operable with a native operating system kernel to manage the computer resources and to allow other programs to execute and use the resources; program instructions for the web based computer user work environment to provide web services and a user interface (“UI”) comprising transmitting and displaying information of a computing system into a web browser via a web UI and program instructions to provide an interactive user operation environment and the interactive user operation environment comprising organizing and displaying resource information as a web based multi-layered item list (“MLIL”); and program instructions for providing security control, the security control operable to control the web browser on a user's local computer system; and program instructions to provide security control to interactively access permitted resources and to perform tasks on the computing system; and program instructions for controlling each user's web browser; and program instructions for submitting an execution of the task without blocking a web browser screen display and program instructions for executing the task in background.
 24. The computer program product of claim 23 further comprising program instructions for specifying security attributes, the security attributes permitting the user from the web browser on the user's a specific local computer system to access a resource.
 25. The computer program product of the claim 23 further comprising program instructions for providing security control and configuring the web based computer user work environment to a) facilitate the user from the web UI to select a data object, the selection including selecting via a web MLIL, the selection to submit a task of set access controls, the controls for permitting a designated user to access the selected data object: configuring the web based computer user work environment to b) receive and identify the task, the task setting access control, the task being transmitted from the web browser: c) execute the task in background, the execution comprising to store the information of the selected data object and a system on which the data object is resided into the designated user's security profile: d) repeating steps a to c beginning at step a) for assigning the designated user with permissions to access the data objects.
 26. The computer program product of claim 23 further comprising program instructions for providing security control comprising program instructions for creating an account for each user, the account comprising security attributes of specifying each user's role, credentials, and permissions.
 27. The computer program product of claim 23 further comprising program instructions to configure the web based computer user work environment to perform: deploying a lock to protect a user space task list; and receiving and identifying one or more requested tasks from each web browser and for each identified task to a) store the task information into the user space task list; b) execute the task in background; c) provide response web page including the task's status to the corresponding user's web browser regardless the task is completed or not; and d) clean up the task information in the user space task list in response to the completion of the task.
 28. The computer program product of claim 26 further comprising program instructions for permitting designated users to access a predetermined data object on the computing system.
 29. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising program instructions for: permitting the user access to predetermined hardware resources; and comprising program instructions for accessing network resources.
 30. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising program instructions for: validating each user secure access to the computing system based on the user's security role, credential and permissions specified in the user's security profile.
 31. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein said of providing response web page further comprises: program instructions for facilitating the user from the web browser on the user's local system continuing to interact and submit a next task, the next task comprising to check the status of the submitted task.
 32. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein said of providing a response web page further comprises: program instructions for providing a task failed status message if the task execution fails, and program instructions for including a task result status message if the task is successfully completed.
 33. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising program instructions for: permitting the user to perform streamlined operations, the streamlined operations comprising program instructions for executing one or more tasks in sequence, the tasks include creating storage volumes on a selected storage device, creating a file system on the created storage volume, mounting the created file system, creating file-folder structure on the created file system, copying, moving and creating files and sub folders for the created folder, to set user access control for permitting designated users access.
 34. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising program instructions for: facilitating users from the web MLIL in the web UI to interactively select permitted resources; and further comprising program instructions for: facilitating users to perform permitted tasks.
 35. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising program instructions for: facilitating a user from a web browser on the user's local system to log in the computer system to obtain the web based computer user work environment via a displayed the web user interface and further access the computer system.
 36. The computer program product of claim 34, further comprising program instructions for controlling each of multiple concurrent users from a web browser on the user's local system log in the computer system to obtain the web based computer user work environment via a displayed web user interface and further accessing the computer system.
 37. The computer program product of claim 23 further comprising program instructions for: organizing resources on the computing system into one or more multi-layered item lists (“MLIL”), the multi-layered Item list being a logically organized information list with a predetermined order, where each entry comprises an item, where each item represents a physical resource, and controlling each user accessing the resources related to each specific MLIL: a) creating a mirrored MLIL object in a memory with one or more resource nodes; b) encoding and including the mirrored MLIL in the web UI to be displayed into a user's web browser with the one or more nodes, which are vertically aligned, right indented and displayed into one or more layers according to each node's level; and c) updating the mirrored MLIL in the memory, and in the web UI of a web browser in response to the user's each interaction with the displayed MLIL to perform one or more tasks.
 38. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising program instructions for configuring the computing system with a console support and a web server that facilitates and controls for the user from a web browser accessing the computing system, the modules forming a portion of the secure web based computer user work environment.
 39. A web based operating system operable with a computing system that connects to a network and comprises at least a CPU, a network interface, a native operating system (“NOS”), and a web based computer user work environment (“WCUWE”) associated with a NOS' kernel, the web based operating system being a computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a security control, the computer program product comprising: program instructions for the secure web based computer user work environment (“WCUWE”), the secure web based computer user work environment comprises supporting web Multi-layered Item list (MLIL), the Multi-layered Item list being a logically organized information list with a predetermined order, where each entry comprises an item, where each item represents a physical resource information, the Multi-layered Item list being in a web user interface; and program instructions for controlling a web browser, the browser being program instructions for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the internet, and one or more tasks to be executed in background without blocking the web browser screen display, and program instructions for controlling one or more users secure web based access, and program instructions for a native operating system (“NOS”) kernel, the kernel being associated and operable with the secure web based computer user work environment.
 40. A computer system having a web based operating system comprising: at least a CPU, a network interface, and a web based operating system stored on a recordable medium; wherein the web based operating system stored on the recordable medium comprises: a native operating system (“NOS”), and a secure web based computer user work environment (“WCUWE”) operable with a NOS' kernel to control operations of the computer system, the operations comprising providing web services and user interface (“UI”), supporting web based multi-layered item lists (“MLIL”), the Multi-layered Item list being a logically organized information list with a predetermined order, where each entry comprises an item, where each item represents a physical resource or device information, the MLIL being supported in web user interface, facilitating one or more users secure web based accessing the computing system, and controlling each web browser tasks to be executed in background without blocking the web browser screen display.
 41. The computer system of claim 40 further comprising: the operating system being operable with at least one of a wireless personal communication device, laptop computer, desktop computer, or server system, the operating system to provide each user a secure web based computer user work environment including the web user interface for the user from a web browser on the users' local system to access the computer system, wherein said local system is the computer system itself or a remote system.
 42. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a security control and being connected to a network interface, the computer program product comprising: a web based computer user work environment (“WCUWE”); and program instructions for controlling each user's web browser; and program instructions for submitting an execution of a task without blocking a web browser display.
 43. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, for providing a web based computer user interactive working environment of a native operating system of a computing system to provide each of one or more users from a web browser accessing the computing system, the computer program product comprising: program instructions to organize resource information of the computer system into one or more multi-layered item lists (“MLIL”), program instructions to provide web services and user interfaces (“UI”) comprising transmitting and displaying information of the computing system into a web browser via a web UI, the displaying includes displaying web based multi-layered item lists, program instructions to provide security control, the security control operable to control the web browser on a user's local computer system to facilitate the user interactively access permitted resources and to perform permitted tasks on the computing system; program instructions to control the user's web browser, the control comprising to submit an execution of a task without blocking the web browser screen display and comprising to execute the task in background; and program instructions for the web based computer user interactive work environment operable with the native operating system. 